MSI Z87 MPOWER MAX Motherboard Review

Full Disclosure: MSI provided the product sample used in this article.

The desktop computer market is in decline: with reports of a 12-percent drop in sales over the last year (on top of previous declines), and total PC sales reportedly at their lowest point since 2006, the days of the computers that a Dilbert strip referred to as “grandpa boxes” (in August of 2011!) are definitely numbered. I, for one, welcome our new tablet, ultrabook, and smartphone masters.

That doesn’t mean that we desktop enthusiasts can’t go out with a bang, though, and companies like Micro Star International, aka MSI, are taking the opportunity presented by the release of Intel’s new Haswell platform and its new LGA1150 socket and Z87-Express chipset to refresh their motherboard lines.

The first of several third-party Intel Z87-Express desktop motherboards to arrive at Benchmark Reviews headquarters was this MSI Z87 MPOWER MAX. Designed for the hardcore enthusiast and gamer, it’s stuffed with special features and software, and the jet black and bright yellow color scheme certainly make the board stand out. Let’s take a closer look in the next section.